


Secret Siege

by DarthChocolate



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Gen, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Torture, Rated For Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-15
Updated: 2020-05-15
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:35:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24199810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarthChocolate/pseuds/DarthChocolate
Summary: Before the Lannister forces invaded King's Landing, mad schemes were brewing. Plots that would echo all the way down to the Song of Ice and Fire.
Kudos: 2





	Secret Siege

A raven flew to King’s Landing with the name of who won the Battle of the Trident. Grand Maester Pycelle read the letter first. He secretly sent a raven to Tywin Lannister before delivering the message to King Aerys. The king read the letter and promptly ordered everyone out of the room except for his sole remaining Kingsguard Jaime Lannister. They snuck away from the throne. The king went straight to his pregnant wife Rhaella and son Viserys. He told them that Rhaegar had been betrayed and defeated at the Trident. He then ordered that they leave for Dragonstone immediately. Rhaella attempted to inquire if Elia Martell and her children were coming with them. One angry look from her husband quickly silenced her on the matter. She went to gathering her belongings. The king left them to have private discussions with Wisdom Rossart an alchemist.

During this time, the Master of Whispers, Lord Varys’ little bird had interceded the message about the Trident, and the little bird gave him the news. Prince Rhaegar had died at the Trident and his armies were crashed. Varys knew the rebels would soon come and conquer King’s Landing. King Aerys would die, and the drunk Robert would probably be made king. He wondered if Robert would be as bad as Aegon the Unworthy. He knew that he would never be as good as Aegon the Fifth. If only the realm could have a good king like that again… An idea sprung into Varys’ mind. Aegon was a great king because he lived among his subjects. Varys could steal the infant prince and raise him to be the greatest king. He started planning his course of action.

Lord Varys was secretly being watched by Manly Stokeworth, who was the Commander of the City Watch. He loathed Varys for being a foreigner and for his position as the Master of Whispers. Commander Stokeworth had been of noble blood. He desired the honor of being on the Small Council. Instead Varys a former theft from Essos received the honor, Lord Stokeworth, who was a true lord, received the trivial position of the City Watch. He watched as Lord Varys grew in power and prestige. This didn’t mean that Commander Stokeworth had given up. He patiently waited for Lord Varys to make a mistake. Varys might have his little birds, but Commander Stokeworth had his gold cloaks. Grown men were fiercer than little children. Soon, Commander Stokeworth vowed he would prove his men were sneakier.

Coryanne Sand had been the maid for the White Sword Tower. She cleaned their bed linen and washed their clothes. All the Kingsguards knew that she was also the paramour to Ser Lewyn Martell. No one else in King’s Landing except for Princess Elia Martell knew of her relationship to Ser Lewyn. Coryanne didn’t have much work to do in the White Sword Tower with most of the Kingsguards gone for the war. Ser Lewyn banned her from visiting the Princess Elia in the Red Keep. He didn’t want her anywhere near the king and queen. When she asked him the reason, she could see the tears in the corner of his eyes and the fear in his voice. “Please don’t inquire of this, my love.” She respected his wishes. She went to visit William Darry, while she waited for the Kingsguards to return. One afternoon, she arrived to find William Darry gone. She would have heard if he was sent to the battlefield.

“He was summoned to see the queen.” A servant told her. If that were true, why is his clothing and some weapons missing from his room? Even though her love told her not to, she crept over to the queen bedchambers that evening. No guards were stationed at her door. Coryanne quickly took a peek inside. The queen and her son were gone. Their belongings were taken as well. She carefully walked over to Princess Elia Martell’s bedchambers. She waited for her handmaidens to leave before entering. The guards hardly gave the Dornish ladies in waiting a glance anymore. Coryanne was able to sneak in.

Elia was siting nursing her infant son, and her young daughter was playing with her cat. “What’s wrong?”

“Where is the queen?” Coryanne kept her voice low.

“I don’t know. Why do you ask?”

Coryanne slowly walked towards the princess. “The queen, the prince and their belonging are all gone.”

“Rhaegar was defeat.” Elia assessed the situation. “We’re losing. The king must have smuggled them away to safety.”

He left behind Elia and her children to perish. Coryanne knew it. She wasn’t going to leave her princess in such a dire situation. “I’m getting you and the children out of here tomorrow night.”

“How?”

“I’ll find a way.”

Elia wanted to protest because she knew the danger that Coryanne would face. She stared at her daughter Rhaenys’ worried face. She gave Coryanne her permission. The following morning, Coryanne searched the ports for a ship heading to Dorne. Sadly, there were none. She chose a ship heading to Dragonstone. The captain accepted her money and would remain in port until that night. With that concluded, she now faced the hardest part, sneaking the queen and her children out of their room. Coryanne switched places with one of her Dornish ladies in waiting and brought Elia’s evening meal.

Elia’s heart raced. “What’s the plan?”

Coryanne stood over the princess’ bed with piece of cook fish. She stiffed it and proceeded to vomit on the bed. It was easy to do since she was in the early part of her pregnancy. She took apart the bed. “Hurry.”

The lady in waiting got undress and gave the princess her clothing. Coryanne tossed her some bed linen. Elia understood and wrapped her infant son up in the linen. Coryanne wrapped up little Rhaenys up and carried outside the door first. The guard saw and smelled the vomit. They moved back and let the two servants leave. Once they were outside of the castle, Coryanne provide Elia and her daughter with cloaks. They made it all the way to the port. There was no cry or guards chasing after them. As Elia and her children walked on board the ship, Coryanne was overjoyed until she felt a tight grip on her arm. A gold cloak had grabbed her. “What are you doing here?”

“Waiting for my lover to arrive.” Coryanne attempted to distract him. “You can keep me company.” She flirted.

The gold cloak was unfazed by her and started to drag her away. To her horror, more gold cloaks came aboard Elia’s ship and started searching it. They found Princess Elia. Now, they were all dragged back to the Red Keep.

Commander Stokeworth wasn’t after the maid and the princess. He had been at the port for information on Lord Varys. He found a promising report about a mystery passenger being sent to Pentos. A fat woman had paid the captain a handsome price for passage and discretion. The captain was trustworthy and greedy. His brother became envious and informed on him to the City Watch. He didn’t know much except a fat woman was seeking passage for someone. Lord Vary was a good performer. Commander Stokeworth had to admit. No one was perfect. Commander Stokeworth had been stuck with a fat aunt for the whole winter as a boy. Lord Vary had one flaw in performance that Commander Stokeworth had observed. From then on, he knew Lord Varys’ one disguise. Commander Stokeworth tossed the maid in the dungeon and the princess back to her bedchambers. He was good friends with the gaolers and knew all their names. He once caught Varys trying to pretend to be one. The maid Coryanne confessed that she acted alone to help Princess Elia and her children escape. She knew nothing about Pentos. The princess’ ladies in waiting supported her claim. Commander Stokeworth believed her. He still believed Varys was plotting something. The Dornish Princess was only useful as ransom. Varys didn’t care about money. King Aerys had given him much wealth. “No, the bald man wanted power. How would he get more power?” Commander Stokeworth wondered. He was already on the Small Council. Did Varys want to be the Hand of the King? Finally, he realized Lord Varys wanted to be regent Varys. History taught that he wouldn’t be truly powerful with a boy prince like Aegon the Third. Once Aegon the Third became king, all the regents lost their power. Lord Varys would have wanted an infant boy to mold to his liking. Commander Stokeworth had a plan, but he had to be quick to spring it before Lord Varys accomplished his own plan.

The City Watch gathered all the Dornish men and women in King’s Landing. They were to all be put in the dungeon. Princess Elia stood before the throne and begged the king that her two ladies in waiting not to be imprisoned. He could see the Ser Jaime wished to speak in support. The lone Kingsguard was terrified to make matters worse by speaking. King Aerys declared them all traitors. As the people were dragged away, Lord Varys gave the king counsel, “Princess Elia looks so pale and ill. We wouldn’t wish her to get worse. Perhaps, a wet nurse should come and help relieve some of her stress.”

“Not a Dornish one,” the king snarled. “The baby reeks too much of Dornish.”

“Of course, your grace,” Lord Varys bowed.

Commander Stokeworth quickly vanished. He didn’t want that foreigner to see his grin. “Go to the small council meeting while you can, little spider.” He thought. “Soon the dragon will come and devour you.”

The small council meeting was aptly name for this particular meeting. There had been seven members. It dropped down to three. Grand Maester Pycelle, Master of Law Lord Symond Staunton, and Lord Varys sat at the council meeting trembling. Ser Jaime stood behind the king. While they all feared the king, Ser Jaime feared the missing Hand of the King. Was the crazed pyromancer building a giant metal dragon as attempted for Aegon the Unworthy? Ser Jaime decided that he would find out what the pyromancer was up to. As for the meeting, it was brief and one sided. The king issued all of King’s Landing be locked close. No one was to enter or leave without the king’s permission. All the advisors agreed with the king’s plan. Of course, they would have agreed to anything that the king said. If he wanted to outlaw turnips, run naked in the streets or make the Kingsguards’ cloaks pink, they would have agreed.

Though no one was allowed to mention their defeat at the Trident, every citizen knew it once the city gates closed. People started to panic. More drunken bouts erupted. More people gathered to the Sept of Baelor and to brothels. The City Watch was out in brutal force to control King’s Landing. There were no trials. The City Watch issued punishments that they decided upon except for desertion. A small group of people were dragged out to be burned. Lord Symond Staunton had been one of them. He attempted to bribe his way out of King’s Landing.

Commander Stokeworth stood and watched the criminals burn. Lord Varys came up beside him. “Ah little spider, you’re late. They’re mostly ash now.”

“A pity,” Lord Varys’ contempt laid heavy in his voice. “I didn’t think this was your preferred desire. Don’t you fancy flogging people?”

“The sun hasn’t set yet.” Commander Stokeworth grinned as the king summoned him. “Goodbye, little spider.” He didn’t even try to hide his threating tone.

King Aerys dismissed Ser Jaime to walk alone with Commander Stokeworth. “Are you certain, my liege?” Ser Jaime confirmed worried. He didn’t believe Commander Stokeworth would harm the king. He feared the king’s already twisted mind would become worse with Stokeworth’s influence.

“Go! I’ll send for you when I need you.” The king dismissed him like he would his dog. Commander Stokeworth and King Aerys went to see Princess Elia. They entered her bedchambers.

“It’s done.” Princess Elia held out her arms. “I want my son and ladies-in-waiting back.”

Commander Stokeworth took the baby from her arms. “It looks closer than the baby that we had snatch.”

One of his men handed her back her son Aegon. Princess Elia rocked her crying baby gently, “and my ladies.”

“They’re nice and safe in their cells.” Commander Stokeworth smirked.

“And the imposter baby? What will happen to him?” Princess Elia worried.

King Aerys swatted his hand in the air. “It’s none of your concern.” They promptly left her for the dungeons. They visited her Dornish ladies in waiting and Coryanne. The king looked them over and chose Coryanne.

“Wise king, please let Princess Elia and her children go.” Coryanne begged. “So, they may help preserve the Targaryen line.”

“Are you a dutiful obedient servant?”

The king’s eyes frightened her. They were sinister and cruel. “Yes,” she trembled.

“I have a problem.” The king expounded. “My wife is not here to satisfy my needs. I swore a sacred vow to be with no other woman.” Commander Stokeworth torn off her clothes. “Thankfully, I conceived a perfect solution.” The king watched as Commander Stokeworth had his way with her. When they were finished, they had her and the ladies in waiting flogged. They left the women in agony in their cells.

“You know what must be done next.” Commander Stokeworth told King Aerys as they strolled to the king’s chambers. “Lord Varys must burn as a traitor.”

“All in due time,” King Aerys patted Commander Stokeworth’s shoulder. “All my enemies will burn.”

The following morning, Commander Stokeworth patrolled the Street of Flour as he nibbled on some fresh bread. One of his men rushed towards him. “The Lannister forces have arrived!”

“Gather all the archers.” Commander Stokeworth ordered. “Tell them that I want fire arrows and boiling tar ready. We’ll set these lions on fire.” He hurried to the gate of the city to take command. He was too late. He never realized by exposing Lord Varys as a traitor that King Aerys would ignore his wise counsel. For his ambition and schemes, Lord Manly Stokeworth was one of the first to be slaughter by Lannister soldiers as they stormed into the city.

While Ser Jaime gasped at the king in utter shock and horror, Lord Varys immediately fled from the room. He wasn’t a fool. He knew the king was the captain of sinking ship and wasn’t going down with him. He vanished deep down below in a secret tunnel. He would wait there until the madness had stopped. “When the lion had his fill,” Lord Varys said to himself.

Ser Jaime waited too on the throne. The king’s blood was on his sword and cloak. Some of the Lannister soldiers cheered for him. The mad king was dead. All of them kept their distance even his father. He was accursed now. He disgraced himself. He felt so far removed and isolated. His father’s soldiers hung up their house’s banners all over the room. They didn’t seem to notice that Ser Jaime was there. Lord Eddard Stark observed him on the throne. His eyes growled at Ser Jaime with the threat of ripping his throat. Ser Jaime swiftly rose and left the throne. The kingsguard became once again an invisible observer. His father treaded carefully around the enraged northern wolf. Lord Stark was close friends with the soon to be new king of the Seven Kingdoms. This man fought beside Lord Robert Baratheon when no one thought he could win. His father waited like a coward until the war was almost won. When Lord Stark ordered his father to gain control of his men and take down the Lannister banners, Lord Lannister listened. He was happy that he did. It softened the impact of the bloody siege somewhat. It also helped to make his father seem like the loyal servant. Lord Baratheon and Lord Arryn came later. Lord Baratheon looked disappointed that there was no battle to be fought. The throne room soon changed from a battlefield to a gathering of vultures. Grand Maester Pycelle offered his loyal services to tend to the wounded soldiers. If Ser Jaime didn’t find the man so despicable, he would laugh at Pycelle loyalty to anyone but his father. Then, there was Lord Varys. He finally emerged from his dark corner. He wasn’t a spider. He was a rat who quickly gave up the location of Queen Rhaella and her son at Dragonstone. The vilest vulture was his own father. Lord Lannister proudly presented Lord Baratheon the dead bodies of Princess Elia, her daughter, and her infant son. Lord Stark started to foam at the mouth. He ordered trials and justice for the slayed innocent ones. Of course, the honorable fool was sent away. King’s Landing wasn’t a place for Lord Stark. It was a den of liars. Lord Baratheon struggled to lie to himself that he wasn’t relieved with a death of a baby. His father was lying about his loyalty which was only to the victor and the reward that his house would receive. The older wiser Lord Arryn had been busying trying to think up lies for the dead Princess Martell and for Robert Baratheon’s right to be king. The throne should be Prince Viserys’. “Kingslayer! Kingslayer!” Ser Jaime swore for a moment that he heard the throne call out to him. It wasn’t the throne. The men were whispering it in low voices. It felt like screaming. Ser Jaime felt so tired. He had no idea how long he had been standing by the throne.

Finally, one of Lord Arryn’s men spoke to him. “Ser Jaime, three whores wish to speak with you. Would you like me to send them away?”

“No, bring them here.” Ser Jaime recognized Coryanne and the two ladies in waiting for the late princess. They came forward. “Leave us.” He commanded the soldier.

“As you wish.” The Valeman said under his breath, “kingslayer.”

Coryanne saw Ser Jaime anger and guilt over the title. She kindly touched his hand. “I’m sorry that you had to be the one to kill him. He was a danger to the realm.” She never knew the full extend of how dangerous King Aerys was. “Ser Jaime, we have lost all our money.” She gestured to the other ladies. “We need passage back to Dorne. I swear to you that I will pay –“

The ladies in waiting caught sight of Princess Elia’s dead body from underneath the Lannister cloaks as the soldiers moved the corpses. The ladies began weeping and wailing uncontrollably. Lord Arryn promptly rushed over to them. “King Aerys in his madness killed them.” It was an obvious lie, but no one called him out on it. The siege taught them to keep their mouth shut.

“Lord Arryn, are you sailing for Dorne?” Ser Jaime asked.

“Ah, yes.”

“These noblewomen wish to go back home.” Ser Jaime appealed to the older man’s little remaining honor. “You will not leave them stranded here?”

“Of course not, they can sail back with me.” Lord Arryn agreed. He hoped that they would be of assistance in lying to the Prince of Dorne about his sister’s death.

The ladies in waiting followed behind Lord Arryn. Coryanne lingered behind for a moment with Ser Jaime. “No matter what any man might tell you, you are a skilled fighter and honorable Kingsguard who did his duty of protecting the realm. Please never forget that.”

Ser Jaime wanted to thank her. She had always been kind to him since the first day he arrived in King’s Landing. Every word of his seemed pale and worthless. He watched her leave from a window in the White Sword Tower. He could see peasants washing the blood off the streets, and wagons of corpses riding away. He wondered, “How long can secret sins stay buried?”

**Author's Note:**

> For more information, please go to https://aurora-light-blog.tumblr.com/


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